Jonus Harper and the Conjurer's Curse
by Darius of the Dragon
Summary: Jonus was a little skeptical when Alastor Moody told him that he was a wizard. Now that he's attending Hogwarts, his old doubts have been replaced with new ones: his wand doesn't work, the Sorting Hat wouldn't sort and he's far too old for first year.
1. Prologue

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Darius here, 

This is my very first creation. Please enjoy and review, especially if you like it and want me to write more.

P.S. My sister Phillippa has already published this story's prologue and has greatly influence my writing and the story. Please read and review her masterpieces as well.

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Jonus Harper had always liked dogs. Sure, he liked all the other animals too, but he had always liked dogs the best. He especially liked one dog in particular, named Jack. Jack had been a stray until it had found its way to the orphanage. Jonus had seen him one afternoon scrounging through the trash looking for food. When he had called out, the dog had backed away its fangs bared, but as Jonus continued to soothe it with soft sounds and slow movements, the dog had slowly calmed down. He had calmed enough to let Jonus toss him some leftover meat, and soon, Jonus was scratching its head and rubbing behind its ears. From that day on, the two were inseparable. They played all over the streets, and Jonus talked to the dog as if he could understand what he was saying. He had taught it every trick in the book and a few extra besides. Naturally, the director of the orphanage, a plump middle aged woman with a big heart called Mrs. Swanson, had become worried about the boy spending so much time with his dog and not with the other children. She had talked with her friend Ms. Griddle about it, but Ms. Griddle had assured her that it was completely natural for the boy to spend time with his dog. He would learn to respond to the other children in due time. There was nothing to worry about. So, Mrs. Swanson let the boy play as he wished, letting things go as they may. The result was a deep friendship between Jonus and Jack. The boy loved the dog like nothing else. It was his joy and happiness. For as long as Jonus had his dog, he was a healthy and happy little boy, but their togetherness could not last forever.

The day had started out like any other day. Jonus had been woken up by a gritty lick from Jack and had returned the favor with a pat on the head. He had gotten dressed and eaten breakfast with all the other orphans enjoying the slabs of bacon and pancakes with orange juice. After helping with the clearing of the table, he had gone outside to play catch. The sun was shinning and the sky was blue, perfect whether. As Jonus threw a nice sized stick for Jack to catch, he had realized for the first time how content he was. He didn't care any more that he had no parents, that he couldn't be normal. He was satisfied with being Jonus, an orphan playing fetch with his dog. Perhaps Jonus was so deep in thought that he wasn't paying attention or maybe it was fate. Whatever the reason, Jonus' hand slipped as he threw the stick, causing the branch to wobble over the busy street nearby. Jack, oblivious to the danger and caught up in the game, had run out onto the street. Jonus, realizing the danger that was invisible to Jack, called out in fear. The dog heard and after turning its head had sprinted back toward safety. At first it looked like he would make it, but a semi-truck had been going too fast and had applied the shrieking breaks too late. With the sound of crunching bone the semi had flown by, leaving Jonus to gaze in horror at the grotesque animal twitching only by speratic nerves that was his dog. The semi driver had eventually stopped and run to the shaking boy of 14. Blurting out several I'm sorry's and a few it was an accidents, the driver tried to apologize and comfort the young man, but the boy didn't even realize that he was there. He merely gazed on with a blank expression, one tear trickling down his cheek.

Jonus had run away from the orphanage that day. Unable to handle the strain of interaction with people and his grief, he had run off to live in the streets. His own hunger had eventually brought him back to reality, back to sanity and life. But it was cold and bitter life indeed, and passer-bys who gazed in his blank eyes would have had to wonder whether he would have rather died.


	2. Owl Post

For all practical purposes, Jonus had become the dog who was Jack before their special relationship had started. He survived by scrounging through trash and litter. Jonus was smart enough to find reliable sites such as the dumpster behind the restaurant on 4th street and the second hand store that threw out a lot of clothing only a few blocks away. He frequently swam in the nearby lake at night to cleanse himself and slept mostly during the day. But when he wasn't sleeping, he was watching people. He found them fascinating, strolling about their normal lives oblivious to much of the hustle and bustle around them. Most didn't even realize they were being watched and the ones who did didn't really care. He would watch families go by, the dad carrying a small child in his arms and dragging another one by the hand. He would make educated guesses about the people he saw, telling himself that this man clearly was a bachelor and that the elderly looking woman was most likely a gossip. Two years he lived like this, in silence and alone. He had only had a couple of close calls with the law enforcement in the area. But both times when the officer was distracted or looking in a different direction, he would vanish flipping his coat inside out or taking off his old tatty hat and disappear into the crowd. He was a master at fitting in once he got the feel of his environment even when he wasn't by any means a normal 16-year-old kid or wearing normal clothing. The long and the short of it was that Jonus was smart . . . street smart, people smart, and memory smart. He knew almost everyone in the area's name, vocation, and family members. Every time he saw someone new it had turned out to be a visiting relative or tourist. He enjoyed being the silent observer of the neighborhood, returning dropped wallets to their appropriate houses and in general, keeping an eye out for thieves and other such parasites of society.

He liked his "job" but sometimes his mind would ache for something else to do in which case he would visit Mary and her books. From the outside, the store appeared to be a small dealer in antique books, but on the inside, the visitor was surprised to see that the smallish looking shop was in reality four stories high and packed full of books in bookcases from floor to ceiling. What they took to be a shop was in actuality the public library, stocked and cared for by their very own volunteer librarian, Mary. She had been suspicious of Jonus at first, taking him for a thief or a pickpocket. To her credit she had given the boy a chance, which was all he needed. Realizing how unusual it was for a street rat to come to the library with only the intention for reading, he had grabbed a book and deliberately sat by the main desk near the entrance, giving Mary a clear view of him at all times.

It had only been his fourth time attending, he had liked the book on exotic animals, that he had proven his character. He had noticed a business dressed man enter the library with a briefcase and had watched him with curiosity. He walked very straight and efficiently, probably the result of working at some high paying position for a company. Jonus had thought nothing of it and probably wouldn't have taken a second look if he hadn't finished the book just as the same man was walking down the stairs toward the exit. Funny, he had thought that the man hadn't checked out any books since he had only been at the library for less than fifteen minutes. Jonus noticed too that he wasn't walking so perfectly straight any more but was favoring his left side. He didn't seem to be limping. It wasn't a crime to walk different upon exiting buildings, but something was bothering him. Then he figured it out. The reason he was walking with a slight lean was that his briefcase was heavy. But if he was walking straight upon entering, it had originally been empty or nearly empty. Only one reason came to his mind that explained the sudden weight, but he couldn't very well call a well to do looking businessman a thief without any proof. So instead he got up leaving the book on a table and walked toward the front doors. He quickly and stealthily walked in front of the man, and pretending to trip, knocked the briefcase spilling its contents onto the floor and causing enough of a commotion to draw the eye of the ever-attentive Mary. She had rushed over and seeing the old and valuable books sprawled across the lobby, had put two and two together. The would-be thief had also realized the situation and without even grabbing his briefcase sprinted for the door. The man had escaped, but Jonus had won his acceptance and even graduated from Mary and no longer received the suspicious looks while visiting.

Over his two years of solitude, he had read a great many books and usually spent a couple of hours each day engaging his mind at the library. However, Jonus had received no formal education except for the basic home-schooling at the orphanage. He preferred studying on his own at the pace of his own choosing and not the eternally slow speed of the few years of school he had experienced. Secretly, he missed having discussions and relationships with others. He denied his need, reasoning that he couldn't return to the orphanage, and he liked his new life better anyway.

It was still dark when Jonus woke up. He took his time stretching and rising from the wooden bench he normally slept on. He had been sleeping in a secluded but clean alleyway, a place he had learned to call home. As his eyes finally adjusted to the black of the night, he looked around for the cause of his early awakening. He heard it before he saw it: a strange and eerie sound he had never heard before. Looking in the direction of the noise, he spotted two large eyes perched on the broken street light. From the two pointed tufts of feathers coming out of either side of his head and its sheer size, Jonus recognized it as a Great Horned Owl. Intrigued, Jonus stepped closer, a slight breeze cooling the night air. He didn't think any Great Horned Owls lived around the city. The large bird continued to stare into Jonus' eyes, but it didn't seem at all frightened by the approaching figure. Only a few feet from the base of the lamp, Jonus stopped and stared back. On closer observation, it appeared to be holding a piece of white paper in its beak.

Odd, thought Jonus. I wonder what it has in its mouth. As if on cue, the hunter of the night dropped its cargo into the darkness with a piercing cry. Startled, Jonus snatched the paper from the air.

Tilting it into the moonlight, he saw that it was an envelope sealed with wax. On the front, it read:

Mr. Jonus Harper

Wooden Bench, Alleyway, 4th Ave

Mudwood City, Nebraska

United States of America

Jonus was confused and a little concerned. No one in Mudwood knew his name, and after two years of inner-city life, he doubted very much that anyone from the orphanage would remember him anymore. Hands trembling and heart racing, he broke the seal, opened the envelope and pulled out a letter.

Dear Mr. Harper,

You have been accepted into the Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. We will be sending on escort to get you to the school on time and help you to acquire the necessary equipment.

Professor Albus Dumbledore

Headmaster

Jonus was even more puzzled than before. Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry? Was this a joke? It had to be one of those organizations: started by lunatics and continued by those with nothing better to do in life. Even so, how they found him and why they wanted him was a mystery. Perhaps, if an escort really was coming, he would be able to answer some of Jonus' many questions.

Jonus looked up, expecting to see the great predator still staring him down, but the Great Horned Owl had disappeared. In a way, he was relieved. Without the owl, he could almost pretend it had never happened. Almost. The letter refused to leave his mind and forced him to sit down on his bench and think it over. What if Hogwarts really existed? What if he really was accepted into a school for Witchcraft and Wizardry? Or did one become a wizard only after training? _This is nonsense_, he told himself. There wasn't such a thing as magic and he couldn't be a wizard. He had read books on every subject and magic had always been dismissed as mere fantasy.

Jonus shook his head. This wasn't getting him anywhere. He would assume that Hogwarts was nonexistent, except maybe as an organization, unless he really was sent an escort who could prove their intentions were correct. Satisfied that he had thought the problem to its logical conclusion, Jonus relaxed and was able to return to his dreams.

With a sound close to a cross between a jet engine and a nuclear explosion, (the only explanation coming to his mind) Jonus awoke with a start for the second time that night. He braced himself for the end of the world as he knew it, which is what it was, coincidentally. The noise approached nearer, turning round the corner and screaming down the alleyway.

With a lurch, the motorcycle stopped. Its light was turned off and without the accelerator down, its noise softened to a purr of a fifty-pound cat. A man stepped off, black cloak billowing underneath the hood covering the man's face. He stood there, the slight moonlight casting a long shadow from his silhouette. He limped forward, a dull thud echoing every other step, and then stopped.

Lifting his hand and pointing a thin short stick into the darkness, he spoke. "Illuminus." Like slow motion fireworks, light snaked out of the stick, lighting nearby light bulbs including the lamp that had long since had its wires removed.

Jonus was shocked, not at the fireworks display or even the fact that a broken streetlight was shining down on him. It was the stranger who had done it all that astonished him, for strange he was. Illuminated by the lights, Jonus could now see the wooden leg with the clawed foot. He could see his scarred and crevassed face with a mutated nose. But it was his eye, his large bright blue eye that sent a chill down Jonus' spine. Still, Jonus remained calm. This was his turf and it wasn't as if the man was going to out-run him with that log for a leg.

"Ah! There you are! They didn't tell me that Nebraska was a giant cornfield. Should've sent someone else if you ask me." The man spoke in a low, gravely tone entirely fitting his gravely appearance. "I'm your escort, so let's get movin'."

"Just a minute," replied Jonus, finding his voice at last. "How do I know you're my escort and what makes you think I want to go?"

"Don't play games with me, laddie. We're already late as it is." The man gave Jonus a look of disgust.

"I'm not the one playing games, pretending magic and wizards are real."

A surprised expression crossed his disfigured face and his big eye finally stopped rolling around to stare straight into him. Seconds passed, then minutes. Finally, he spoke. "Surely you believe in magic," he stated. It was not a question.

"No."

A few more seconds passed. "All right then," he murmured. "Wingardium Leviosa." He pointed his stick at the bench behind Jonus. The sound of screeching metal and breaking concrete filled the air as the bench ripped from the bolts fastening it to the ground. With a wave of his wand, he sent the now levitating seat flying through the air. The man gave his stick a final flick and it smashed into the ground, shattering the wood into thousands of pieces.

Jonus' disbelief faded away into raw excitement. Magic was real! It was everyone's' childhood dream come true and right before his eyes was proof it existed. And if magic was real, then that meant that he was…a wizard! Jonus had always felt cutoff from the rest of the world and now he knew why. He tried to hide his emotions, but the sly grin on his escorts face told him he wasn't doing a very good job.

"You've convinced me." Jonus said eyeing what was left of his "bed". "That was incredible. How'd you do that?"

"Now that's what Hogwarts is for." The man replied a gleam flashing in his eye.

"What's your name, or do they call you escort?"

The look on the cloaked man's face wiped off Jonus' grin. "You can call me Moody."

Jonus straddled the motorcycle which was thankfully large enough to comfortably seat two. Feeling a little nervous about riding to a place he had neither seen nor heard of with a man that could have broken at least a dozen Guinness world records, he mind wondered to the past 16 years. They were the only life he had known. He realized now why he had always felt distant and separated, why he had been so lonely. He had forced himself to ignore the fact that he was unhappy for the last two years in order to stay sane. But now with a new life ahead full of others like him, that unhappiness seemed all the more depressing against the strange contentedness he now felt. It was like living in a dream, he realized, and then waking up to reality. The dream was over. His new life was just beginning.

The bike thundered to life as Moody kicked it into gear. Jonus' stomach lurched, the pair shooting out of the hidden alley. For the first few minutes neither said anything, but after leaving Mudwood behind, Moody shouted over the roar of the bike's engine. "Little young to be live'n in the city by yourself aren't you?"

"16 is old enough." Jonus replied.

"What's that? I thought I heard you say that you were sixteen."

"I am sixteen. Don't I look old enough?" Jonus shouted back a little louder then before.

Moody didn't reply, but Jonus thought he saw a small shake of the head. The silence made Jonus wonder if he had said something wrong. "Where is Hogwarts anyway?"

"London." Moody bellowed.

"London, Britain?" Jonus asked bewildered.

"Well…it sure aint London, Nebraska." Jonus' stomach fell. London was over 5,000 miles away! He wouldn't be seeing Hogwarts for days if not weeks. Either that or he had been wrong to trust Moody, and the whole thing was some elaborate joke. No, that couldn't be right. Jonus considered himself too good at judging people to be mistaken and Moody didn't kid around. Ever. Jonus also couldn't ignore that he had seen magic with his own two eyes. Twice. Maybe with some more magic Moody could transport them instantaneously or at least quickly to their destination. Jonus got his answer soon enough.

"Sorry about wasting so much time," Moody's voice rumbled over the noise. "But there were too many muggles about to fly any sooner." To Jonus' astonishment and delight, the motorcycle lifted off the pavement and accelerated into the dark sky. The ground quickly faded away into patches of cornfields and farmhouses. Soon, even the houses disappeared from view. Of course the motorcycle was magical, he chided himself as he settled down and relaxed for what would still be a long…flight? The vibrations of the bike soon brought back his tiredness as Jonus drifted off into peaceful dreams.


	3. Wands are for Wizards

The long-awaited second chapter has arrived. Here we find out that . . . well, things about Jonus. ; )**  
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**Wands are for Wizards**

When Jonus woke up, the sun had long risen in the sky and the landscape had drastically changed. Instead of the rolling hills covered in corn and farms, water surrounded him in nearly every direction. But in the distance, the approach of a large island was evident. Britain. Jonus stretched his stiff arms and legs trying to recirculate the blood.

"You awake back there? It won't be much longer now," Moody said, sensing Jonus' movement.

"I can't wait to see London. I've never been outside the United States before," thought Jonus out loud. Moody grunted a response but otherwise remained quiet. Jonus didn't mind the silence. The view was amazing and the magically reduced wind soothed his anxious mind. "London," he smiled to himself. "I'm actually going to see London and live there." Jonus wasn't really sure what to expect, but he instinctively knew it was where he belonged.

Britain was approaching quickly now filling up most of the view. Jonus had no idea that this small country on the map was so large in real life. They were headed toward an extensive city that could only be London. Flying lower and lower, Moody eventually landed near the outskirts, no doubt trying to cause the smallest disturbance as possible.

As they drove through the streets, tall 3-5 story buildings passed by. These old but well kept apartments were placed right next to each other, creating a wall of houses on either side without yards or garages. Jonus took it all in, seeing as much as he could and memorizing what he saw.

Moody continued on deep into the heart of London taking turns down side streets and alleyways. He finally parked the motorcycle in an ally so small that a car couldn't possibly have driven down it. Jonus looked for a sign or important looking building, but the ally was full of the same old buildings he had seen already.

"Why are we stopping, Moody?" Jonus asked, puzzled.

"You can't go to Hogwarts without school supplies. We're here for a bit of shopping and, with any luck, we'll be ready for the train at 11:00."

"But, Moody," said Jonus, still confused. "I don't see any signs or stores."

"You don't think we'd put them out in the open, now, do yah? We don't want any old muggle stumbling into a wizard shop." Moody didn't wait for any more questions. He hobbled off down the cobblestone, Jonus following.

Opening a hidden door tucked away in the corner of a wall, Moody and Jonus entered into a smoky and poorly lit room. It was a tavern of sorts. A bartender behind the bar occupied one wall, and he appeared quite busy serving the numerous customers. Everyone was wearing cloaks, tall pointed hats, and other strange apparel. The little doubt Jonus still had was quickly snuffed out. In all his life, he had never seen an odder group of people. But instead of feeling like an intruder, he merely felt overwhelmed at the sheer number of them. How many witches and wizards were there?

"Well…I'll be!" exclaimed the bartender as Moody stepped up. "If it isn't Mad-Eye Moody. I haven't seen you in…years!"

"I've got some business over at Diagon Alley." Moody waited while the large and friendly bartender poured an amber, sweet-smelling liquid into a healthy sized goblet and passed it to an anxious customer.

"Here you are, Mildred." Charlie said handing over the goblet and picking up the strange coins that the shabby witch had placed on the counter. "What would your friend like, Moody?" Charlie looked straight at Jonus.

"Uh, nothing, thanks. I'm not thirsty." Jonus answered a little too quickly, realizing that he didn't have a penny on him, no less the strange money that seemed to be used. It occurred to him then that he couldn't possibly pay for school supplies either.

"Nonsense," Moody said dropping more coins into Charlie's big hand. "He'll have a butterbeer as well."

Charlie poured Jonus the thick drink and gave it to him. "Enjoy your drinks and come back soon. I mean it, Moody." Moody grunted a reply and sat down at an empty table. Jonus sat down across from him and carefully sipped at his drink, not knowing what to expect. Jonus was pleasantly surprised. The butterbeer tasted great and sent a warm sensation through his body. He quickly finished it, putting down the now-empty cup.

Moody took a flask from under his cloak and eyed its contents suspiciously, his large blue eye completely rolled back in his head. "Changed your mind on the drink, I see." He made a grunt-half-snort sound that almost resembled a laugh as he drowned what remained of his own drink.

"Uh, Moody?" said Jonus, seizing the moment. "How am I going to pay for all of my school supplies? They don't give them away for free, do they?"

"Free? Hell no! Nothing's free laddie, not even in the magical world. Well, almost nothing…." He seemed to ponder this for a moment. "Don't worry about the supplies. Dumbledore's taken care of it. There's not a witch or wizard I know who isn't indebted to him. Great man Dumbledore, great man."

"Will I get to meet him?" Jonus asked interestedly.

"Oh, I'm sure Dumbledore will very much want to meet_ you,_ Jonus." Jonus inwardly flinched at the way that he had said _you_.

"Is the magic store far from here?" Jonus changed the subject after a moment of silence.

"Not really." Moody stood up and led Jonus to a strange room in the back. Jonus watched intently as Moody withdrew his wand. Gently, he tapped the bricks with the wand's end in a simple pattern, and then stepped back. The ground started to tremble, and Jonus had to catch himself from falling. Then, with a moan, the wall crumbled away, revealing a crowded street filled young witches and wizards dragging their parents from store to store. Jonus stood there, mouth open, gazing at the assortment of stores for wand, potions, cauldrons, broomsticks, pointed hat and cloaks, animals, and a store for books that looked particularly inviting.

"Welcome to Diagon Alley, plenty of places to spend money here," Moody added.

"What do I need first?" asked Jonus, overwhelmed.

"Dumbledore gave me a list …." mumbled Moody, pulling out a wrinkled piece of parchment. "Let's start with the school robes."

As they strolled down the cobbled walk, Moody's false leg clicking against the walkway, Jonus couldn't help but notice the quick glances and sometimes long stares that they were drawing from the mob of shoppers. If anything, more of the looks were aimed at Moody, even though Jonus stood out in his layered second-hand clothing. _I guess Moody is beyond the explanation of even the magical world_, thought Jonus. _Imagine that._

After finding some robes that fit reasonably well — the clerk nervously helping under the ever-watchful eyes, or eye, of Moody — they went to a store called Ollivander's to find a wand.

Jonus stepped into the small store, a musky sent hanging in the air. An elderly man with energetic eyes and a warm expression stood at the desk. His eyes never left the young wizard as Jonus approached. "Welcome to Ollivander's," he said, immediately turning around and searching through the thousands of long thin boxes that littered the small shop. "I've seen a great many wizards in my day. Some were good. Some were quite ordinary, and some," – he looked in Jonus' eyes – "were the greatest wizards that the world has ever seen."

The old man continued searching until he pulled out an unremarkable box and set it on the table. "I know wands like the back of my hand. Why don't you try this one, hmm?"

Jonus reached out toward the now-opened box and withdrew the slender stick. So this was where wizards got their magic. It was so ordinary-looking that he almost didn't believe it could possibly be magical. He held it for some time giving it a closer inspection. But for all his efforts, it could have been a twig recently torn off a tree.

"Give it a wave now," the man whispered. His attention was so solely focused on the wand that he wasn't even blinking. Jonus flicked his hand, expecting something magical. What he didn't expect was the short burst of light followed by a sizzling sound and smoke.

"Well now, I guess that wasn't the right wand after all," the shopkeeper stated with a frown, but a twinkle in his eye and a twitch in his lips that could have been the start of a smile. Jonus handed the wand back and waited, while the man searched some more. "These things mustn't be rushed you know. The wand must be carefully chosen to match its owner." The white haired man stooped over and picked up a green colored box and opened it. Inside was a slender stick of ivory wood. Its smooth glossy finish caught Jonus' eye immediately. The wand was exactly what he would have expected from a wand of high quality and was most likely one of the most beautiful things he had ever seen. The connoisseur of wands also gazed admiringly giving credence to Jonus' untrained eye.

Jonus picked up the wand reverently, knowing that this was the wand he was looking for. He didn't care what other versions the old man might show him. He would refuse any other offers. The wand fit in his hand like a tailored glove, resting in his hand lightless enough to be carried indefinitely but heavy enough to affirm its presence. Jonus, remembering his previous orders gave the wand a gentle wave.

And nothing happened. No light, no smoke, no noise. No nothing. It just sat there in his hand like a lump of dead wood. The brightness and excitement that had been in the old man's eyes had deadened, and his shoulders now hung slack in disappointment. The man grasped for the smooth wand as if to find a more suitable one, but Jonus yanked it away in defiance.

"No," he said clutching the wand like some precious treasure. "I want this wand. _This_ wand." His voice was firm and in control. One would have never guessed that he was close to tears.

The aged man let out a long sigh. "I'm sorry, Jonus, but the wizard doesn't choose the wand; the wand chooses the wizard. It will do nothing for you," he continued, seeing Jonus grasping the wooden instrument closer to his chest. "You can't do magic with a wand that doesn't match." He waited letting the full force of his words to sink in. Gently and tenderly, he untwined the wand from Jonus' grip and returned it to its box. "I had hoped…." He muttered returning the box to its previous location.

The next three hours, Jonus tested wands, trying to find a wand that would produce more of a response than sizzling, snapping, smoking, and spitting. The wand wizard searched hard and long, earnestly trying to find the match until the point of near exhaustion. All this happened under the gaze of Moody, who didn't say a word. When the wizard had reached his end, sweat dripping down his cheek, he gave Moody a quick look. "Are you sure the boy's …." The look from the still silent monolith cut his question short. "Well then, I guess this will be your wand then." He handed Jonus the box to a crooked and gnarled wand that had manage to make a flash without the excess smoke and sizzling.

"But that wand only worked marginally better than the rest. Don't you have any others?" Jonus knew that he must have tried almost every wand in the store, but he couldn't help hoping that there had been some mistake, that the perfect wand was laying in the next box.

"You are sure that this is the best wand you can find?" Moody finally spoke up, sounding irritated. The man nodded. "All right, Jonus, let's go. It's almost 11:00 now and we have a train to catch." Moody practically dragged Jonus out of the shop and down the alleyway.

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